Rubber bearing structure



July 25, 1933- A. D. MAcLAcHLAN Er AL 1,919,375

RUBBER BEARING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 10, 1951 7- nfvZbEE HDEUZED/ack/an y Eeynd 5 to water-lubricatedv bearing structures.

construction.

Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT lOFFICE ANDREW I). MAGLACHLAN AND KARLv E. FREUND, 0F AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNO-RS T0 THE B. GOODRIOH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK RUBBER BEAR-ING STRUCTURE Application led January 10, 1931. Serial No. 507,844.

4Our invention relates to bearing structures are tapered in width throughout their length, comprising ay member of resilient material as illustrated in Fig. 2, and all of said strips Such as rubber adapted .to engage another are arranged in edgewise abutting relation, member in sliding engagement and especiallyv as between the marginal flanges 11a. One of the tapered strips is inserted last and pro- Heretofore such` bearing structures usually duces pressure between the abuttin' edges of have been constructed with the resilient bearthe strips, which is resisted b the tinges 1l, ing portion permanently united to the wallresulting in the strips being fbrced outwardly of one of the bearing members with theY result into intimate contact withtl sleeve. that the structure is difficult and expensive toY Endwise movement of] |e strips is prevent- 6o manufacture and to repair. ed by providing a removable end flange 14 The objects of the present invention are to held by screws 15. to the sleeve section, and a reduce the cost of manufactureyto promote similar flange may be provided on the oppoeconomy in the use of bearings and to reduce site end ofthe sleeve. time consumed in the replacement of the bear- Each bearing strip 13 is provided with a 65 ing surfaces.- soft rubber bearing portion 13b having a .These objects are attained by. the device shaft-contacting face 13 of non-concentric of our invention which is illustrated in the form. The surface 13C may be a' plane suraccompanying drawing, in which y face tangential to the shaft-surface or a conig. Vl is a perspective View of a bearing veX surface. In either case the surface 13` 70 embodying theprinciple of our invention in meets the shaft-surface at an acute angle and engagement with ashaft,-part of the bearing thereby assures proper lubrication as the being broken away to more clearly show the acute angular approach of the surfaces tends to cause the shaft to wipe the water or other Fig.2isaperspective view of two adjacent lubricant into the bearin The bearing tapered bearing strips such'as are employed strips are decreased in thickness near their in the bearing of our invention, and edges so that they define longitudinal lubri- Fig. 3 is a cross-section'of a modified form cant channels 16 located between their Shaftof the bearing and its. cooperating shaft in contacting faces and extending throughout engagement with each other, the bearing rthe length of the bearing. f f sleeve being of one-piece construction. By forming the bearing sleeve in a plural- Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 ity of sections it is possible to replace worn represents a bearing sleeve, made preferably bearings without removing the shaft andone of a plurality of sections, two being shown in worn section may be withdrawn and replaced Fig. 1, indlcated by the numerals 11, 12. without replacing sections which are not, The bearing sleeve, or each section thereof, is wor-n. This is of particular advantage Y provided with a concave inner surface for where the shaft is disposed horizontally, as supporting-a plurality of bearing strips 13, inmarine vessels where such bearings are each com risin a rigid base .portion 13 used. on propeller shafts and the weight of formed o meta hard rubber, or other suitthe shaft causes greater wear on theloweri able material, and a bearing surface portion `half of the bearing than on the upper' half. 13b of soft rubber composition or other suit- In such cases a great saving is accomplishedl able resilient material, which contacts with by making the bearing in halves as shown in the shaft 17. Fig. 1 and replacing only? the lower half in For retaining the bearing strips in proper case of wear. l L95 position, when the sleeve is made in sections, Av further saving is accomplished by pro,-

l each section of t-he bearing sleeve is provided vidin removable bearing strips, as shown auf with'marginal anges such as 11 disposed and escribed, in combination. with the split longitudinally thereof .on their inner` sursleeve construction, as the str1 s may be reaces. One or more of the bearing strps 1 3 'moved and replaced leither without remov- A100 ing the bearing sleeve section or by removing a sleeve section and then replacing such strips as are Worn.

We claim:

l. A bearing structure comprising a bearing sleeve section and a set'of bearing strips seated only on the inner curved face thereof, each of said strips having a soft rubber shaftcontacting portion forming an acute angle with the surface of the shaft and being removable longitudinally from the sleeve section in sliding engagement therewith.

2. A bearing structure comprising a bearing sleeve section provided with marginal flan es and a set of bearing strips seated only on 'fille inner curved face of said section between said flanges, each of said strips having a soft rubber shaft-Contacting portion forming an aeuate-angl'e with the surface of the shaft and being removable longitudinally fromthe sleeve section in sliding engagement therewith.

3. A bearing structure comprising a bearlng sleeve section, a set of bearing strips seated only on the inner curved face of sa1d means retaining the bearing strips on sald section against rotative movement in relation thereto, at least one of said strips being tapered laterally to hold the strips in abutting relation in the sleeve section.

4. A bearing structure as defined in claim 3 in which a removable end flange is provided on said sleeve section Jfor retaining the strips against longitudinal motion.

5. A bearing structure comprising a sleeve section having a cylindrical Curved inner face and a set of bearing strips seated only on the inner curved face thereof, each of said strips having a soft rubber shaft-contacting portion forming an acute angle with the surface of the shaft and being removable longitudinally from the sleeve in sliding engagement therewith, and a plurality of said strips directly abutting each other and being seat* ed against the said oylindrically curved surface and held thereagainst as elements of an ANDREW D. MACLACHLAN KARL E. FREUND.

' arch. 

